


One Last Lullaby

by amamiya_toki



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, F/M, Mechanical Lullaby, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-31 21:55:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12690969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amamiya_toki/pseuds/amamiya_toki
Summary: In Accordtura, the town where only robot dolls live, the detective Cielo was tasked to find out more about the mysterious and strange robot doll that had just awakened. Little did he know, he would find out the truth and more about the world that he knows, and this would change him forever.





	One Last Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> Androids are not easy to write. Admittedly. However, Nezu-san got my ball rolling and although I said I'd make it short I created a full plot (separate from what Bandai Namco is doing with this series) that is not fully written as of now.
> 
> Written in Cielo (Tenn's POV).
> 
> For those who need a reminder of the casts' Mechanical Lullaby roles:  
> Izumi Iori - Jane  
> Nikaidou Yamato - Fabra  
> Izumi Mitsuki - Martin  
> Yotsuba Tamaki - April  
> Ousaka Sougo - Meir (female in this fic)  
> Rokuya Nagi - Jeune  
> Nanase Riku - Terra (female)  
> Yaotome Gaku - Augus  
> Kujou Tenn - Cielo  
> Tsunashi Ryuunosuke - Octo  
> Momo (Sunohara Momose) - Novem (female)  
> Yuki (Orihara Yukito) - Dissen

What is love?

What is affection?

What does it mean to hold someone dear?

These are all questions that I do not have answers to.

Despite knowing what they are by definition, comprehending these concepts are a completely different matter. However, it should be unsurprising that they are things that are unfamiliar to me.

My name is Cielo. As with all of my brethren who reside in the town of Accordtura, I am a robot doll. While each of us has been created in the likeness of the humans who have created us, not a single one can be found in this place that had been isolated from the rest of the world. Plants and especially animals are scarce in the place, and can only be found in controlled environments.

Aside from this, this is a normal town.

Or so it seems.

Each robot doll had been created with a specific purpose and role, and they only exist to fulfil it. Every single day, tasks related to that role are carried out without fail. Each individual simply accomplishes what they are meant to achieve, and do not involve themselves in any other matters that do not pertain to their role. There is barely, often not any at all, deviation from this unspoken rule. This continues endlessly in a fixed cycle, with each day passing as it is supposed to.

My role in this town is that of a detective, and I am the only individual who has it. My duty is to go about Accordtura, searching for and gathering hints that would aid me to solve various mysteries that occur around the town. However, there are times when I would be called upon to aid in certain matters as well.

A while ago, I was summoned by Fabra, the one who bears the duty of managing the winding keys of all the dolls. It was already unusual that Martin, the postman, would have anything for me. For the most important robot in the town to have a matter to consult me about was indeed, a rare occasion. Despite that, I simply followed the order that was issued and made my way to his office, located at the top of the highest building in the town—the Chronos Tower.

"Welcome, Cielo. I have been expecting you." Being a robot doll of the highest class, he spoke in an elegant manner. "I trust you have been well."

"There have been no abnormalities since my last winding, Lord Fabra." I gave him a bow to accompany my usual reply, intending to get straight to the matter at hand. While he is a man of respectable position, I have some distaste for the "personality" that had been embedded into his being. "For what reason have you summoned me today?"

He chuckled. "Straight to the point, as usual. However, that is something I do not dislike."

With two fingers of his left hand, he pushed the brown envelope on his desk towards me.

"I want you to look into this particular matter. Everything you would need to know is written in this document. Report to me immediately if you happen to learn of or conclude anything of significance."

I was quickly dismissed soon after, with no chance to ask more about this assignment.

With the envelope in hand, I returned to my personal quarters—a small cottage in the middle district. Every individual's personal living quarters was emulated from that of humankind. The most basic furnishings were a bed, desk, chair and lamp. Based on their personality, they may choose to add more items. I prefer to keep mine simple and chose not to.

Having settled down at the desk, I used a small knife to open the wax seal of the envelope. Inside was, as expected, sheets of paper which were the documents he had mentioned. Along with them was a smaller sheet… a photograph of a robot doll, one of the female model.

The photograph lacked colour, but at first glance, it was obvious that each of her eyes was that of a different colour. It also struck me that her features were similar to mine. It was not exactly the same, but the similarities were obvious enough to recognise with just one look. And, despite this being the first time I saw her face, she did not feel like a stranger. At this realisation, I felt something unusual within me, which brought about a strange feeling. It was something I cannot explain, but I could only brush it off as a minor abnormality in my own function or system. If it persists, I should just have Octo take a look at it.

Putting the photograph down on the desk, I picked up the small stack of papers and quickly read through them.

From what I gathered, it was a summary of information left behind as well as Fabra's own observations made about that female robot doll… Terra.

Rightfully when a robot doll awakens, they would be completely and fully aware of their role, which defines their purpose; the very reason why they exist. For one to not know was an occurrence that was completely unheard of. It is no wonder why my aid was enlisted in this matter.

However, the document provided was rather vague in its contents, and I simply stored this information in my memory. After I was done, I replaced the papers back into the envelope, which I then kept locked into a drawer of the desk. To me, such information could only serve as the stepping stones that would lead to the beginning of my investigation. One cannot make any solid conclusions based on a sole piece of evidence. This is why I preferred to discover more for myself by investigating the matter personally.

According to Fabra, he had sent her to the library to gain more knowledge which would help her remember her role. That would be where I could find her. Fortunately, it was only a fifteen-minute walk from my cottage.

I set off right away. Along the way, I met April who was out on another delivery. He gave me a quick wave from above before going on his way. I also walked past Jeune who was playing the flute, his usual instrument on Fridays, at the square. Music was something that we robot dolls are unable to appreciate, as it is unnecessary to us. Human needs such as food and products of human culture are things that are irrelevant to our basic functioning. However, as his role was to play music, it must surely be good by human standards.

Before I knew it, I had reached the large doors of the library. As its name suggests, it contained all the books in the town. As with most things, these were left behind for us by the ones who created us. However, it was not a place that I visited often, for several reasons.

"Pardon my intrusion."

"Ah. Mister Cielo. Welcome. How rare it is for you to drop by."

"You say that, but it seems that you already expected my arrival."

The library's caretaker was, of course, another robot doll: Jane. Like Fabre, he is also of the highest class. Aside from being the one who looks after the books, he also possesses an extraordinary large memory capacity that is at least three times larger than the average robot doll. In fact, he has all the information contained in each and every book stored in his head. Unfortunately, our "personalities" seemed to clash.

While my role also has some relation to the acquisition of knowledge, like Jane, I was not one who gains them from simply reading texts and records. I prefer to explore and experience, using every sensory function available to pick up information from the environment instead. That was one of the main reasons for our mutual discord.

"The way you speak is as unpleasant as always." He stated it as if he was reciting a fact. I chose to ignore him.

"Where is she?"

"In the backmost room."

"Thank you."

"You are most welcome."

I promptly left the counter, where Jane had stationed himself.

The library was comprised of one main area and several small, separate rooms on the ground floor. From the floor to the roof, comprising of five whole stories, there was nothing but books, books and more books. The main area was a long corridor that branched out into smaller ones, lined with sturdy wooden shelves. The rooms, too, were filled with shelves and books but of more niche and specific topics.

The library was again, as it often was than not, empty. The first flew floors housed non-fiction books of almost every topic imaginable. The higher floors contained fiction titles, of which no one goes to. Like music, literature was something that humans invented for pleasure, in which us robot dolls do not need.

There were only a few who would come to this place; one person I could name was Miss Novem. Her role was that of an inventor of insect-like robots, created with the purpose of pollinating and caring for plants. She is also the assistant of Dissen, the one who looks after the botanical garden and greenhouse—the only two places where plants can be found in Accordtura. As he is often busy with his research, which was one of the two important duties related to his role, she comes by to help him borrow the books that he needs for reference. To note, she is a middle-class robot doll like I am. Despite that, everyone refers and look up to her with the same respect and regard they have for one of the highest class. I believe this is not due to the fact that she is one of the first robot dolls to awaken, but probably due to her likeable "personality".

Returning to the topic at hand.

I walked quickly down the carpet-covered floor to the room at the end of the library. The door was not closed, so I simply walked into the room.

I would have announced my presence as I did at the entrance, but I was greeted by a sight that came as a surprise to me.

Indeed, as Jane had informed me, she was in the room. However, she appeared to be asleep. That was something that I had not come across before, as we robot dolls were programmed to perform our duties in the day and would only rest after nightfall. Similar to humans. Such deviation was unheard of, so I was not sure how I should react to it.

What bothered me more was that one sentence that Fabra had written in his report: her strange and unusual behaviour, if any, is not attributed to any malfunction or abnormality.

If so, there has to be another reason to explain this. Fabra must have come to the same conclusion but had probably lacked sufficient evidence to name one. That is one of the things that I had to find out about this. Still, how does he expect me to work on this when her very being holds so many unknown factors?

"Mmmm…"

She let out a hum as she stirred, showing signs of waking up. A moment had barely passed when she opened her eyes, her gaze directed at me.

"Tenn-nii…?"

**Author's Note:**

> To note, I replaced "-san" with Mister and Miss, to fit the theme and setting of this AU.
> 
> I won't be writing and uploading the next part or any other stories so soon. Reason being that I'm preparing to apply for my Masters soon and I need to submit and present a thesis/research plan for my exam. I'll continue writing when I have completed that.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
